I WISH I MAY, I WISH I MIGHT….

…..I wish I had a Lewis Grundy or even a Heber Bonner. If I did I would not have any yard work or fix-it jobs to hound H about and I know he would be glad.

Lewis and Heber were two old colored gentleman – at least they always seemed old to me, but I’m sure they were young once. They worked for Aunt Letaine and sometimes for my Dad sprucing up the yard, trimming trees and bushes, and answering to the call of duty in any way they were asked to.

They don’t make them like that any more.

They were loyal right down to their toenails, doing what was expected and then some. And they were trustworthy – fetching groceries from the store, collecting the mail, even dropping deposits at the bank. The errands they ran and the odd jobs they did were endless. Nothing went in their pockets that wasn’t supposed to and they were on time and dedicated.

Nope, they don’t make them like that anymore.

If I had a Lewis or a Heber I am sure I could keep them busy as beavers building a dam.

“Heber, take that old dryer sitting in the back of H’s hunting truck to the dump this morning , please.” I’d hand him the keys and “poof” that dryer would be out-of-sight, out-of-mind.

“Lewis, please wash down the walls of the carport before it gets too hot outside today.” Those walls will soon be gleaming.

“Ok boys, we are going to dig a trench today and bury that sprinkler system out back so you can tear down that old fence in the back yard. ” Then I would leave them to the task and go inside to cook up a hot lunch for them to have later. Maybe some mustard greens and cornbread with some field peas and fresh tomatoes and cucumbers on the side.

Just maybe if I had a Lewis Grundy or a Heber Bonner I would cook more often. Lord knows I don’t do much of that now.

I would be nice and polite too, as I stated in a couple paragraphs above. I’d know what a godsend I had and would cherish the benefit of it. Their pay checks would be on time, weekends and holidays off, and much respect from me for a job well done.

After my dad passed away and Lewis had been long gone also, Heber was retired and well past working age. But, he would still swing by the house every Thursday evening and load my mothers trash-of-the-week in the back of his truck to deposit at the end of the driveway for pick-up early Friday morning. That was his loyalty until he wasn’t able anymore.

Long past the time he was still working when we had family gatherings for the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas and such as that we would always make a plate of food to take to Heber and he always received his gift of wine on Christmas Eve.

I could do that. I could make that happen…if only I had a Lewis Grundy or a Heber Bonner. No…they don’t make them like that anymore.

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About Elle Knowles

Elle Knowles lives in the Florida Panhandle with her husband and off-at-college-most-of-the-time son. She has four daughters, one son, and eleven beautiful grandchildren. 'Crossing the Line' is her first novel. The sequel 'What Line' is a work in progress. Recently published is Coffee-Drunk Or Blind - a nonfiction story of homesteading in the Alaska wilderness with her parents and four siblings, told through letters by her mother and remembered accounts from the family.

I LOVE the title and the phrase, colored gentlemen…so gently, respectively put. I also know what you mean when you say, they don’t make them that way anymore. People want to do less for more and it feels all wrong. Was just at the bank asking them to help me with something, and the woman said, Miss. Bianchi, you have to learn to do it yourself. We only help as a courtesy. I said, and this was before I read your piece, sounds to me like Chase Bank doesn’t want to go that extra pile for its customers anymore. She shrugged, said nothing. I left feeling quite dispirited. Yes, the Lewiss and Hebers of the world are hard to find these days…sigh Nice essay Elle.